The SweetServiceAward goes to Sorbet Camps Bay, the Branch to which I switched earlier this week, having been with the Sea Point Mall Branch for the past two years. I now live in Camps Bay, but out of habit I kept going back to the Sea Pont Branch. Walking past the Camps Bay Branch, which is at the back of The Promenade Centre, and to which I can walk, I gave it a try earlier this week, and returned two days later, loving the peacefulness and professionalism of the staff in doing a leg wax and mini pedicure. I was informed that I had R250 in points, which was deducted from my total due, leaving a small amount to pay. They do a birthday 50% discount too, already diarised for next month. Lauren did the waxing, with extreme thoroughness, (more…)

The Sweet Service Award goes to Woolworths in the Waterfront, and its Manager Warren Sitzer. I received poor service in looking to buy wine glasses in the Homeware department, so poor that I went to buy some at @Home instead. At Country Road inside the Woolworths store I wanted to pay for a top, but there was no staff member to be seen. I wanted to relate both service issues to a manager, and Warren listened, apologised with charm, and brought me some roses. He said he remembered my son and I shopping at the Paarl Mall branch more than ten years ago, when we lived in Franschhoek. He also shared the amazing developments lying ahead for this Waterfront branch. He invited me to chat to him at any time that I experience any problems at this branch. Wow!

The SweetServiceAward goes to River Café in Franschhoek and its delightful assistant who served me when I went to buy ice cream there on a very hot day. Standing in a queue with other customers, the young lady was called out of the kitchen to assist me, and allowed me to photograph their ice creams from the other side of the counter. I was intrigued by their black Charcoal ice cream, so she proudly came to my table to explain how it is made, she having made the ice cream, as her manager who normally makes it had the day off on that day. She told me the recipe of how it is made, and brought me the bottle of Activated Charcoal she added to give it the black color. She was so proud of her job, a rarity to see in Franschhoek! It was clear that this was a popular stop, with a number of other customers sitting outside and enjoying the ice creams too, very reasonably charged at R25 for two scoops. (more…)

The SweetServiceAward goes to Sorbet Sea Point, and its Manager Marie-Zanne, who patiently listened to my service complaint about a visit earlier this week. I was left with wax marks on my legs that I could not clean with nail polish remover (the only remedy I could think of!), and she invited me to come back for the marks to be removed. I also told her about the poor service when I paid, the Clicks Club Card having to be swiped too when one pays, for points, but I realised that this had not been done for a number of my past monthly visits! While she could not give me the points retrospectively as they have changed their computer system, she was honest enough to acknowledge that there have been service issues at their reception. The receptionist Megan also refused to give me the number of the Manager. Kindly she has given me her cellphone number directly! (more…)

The SweetServiceAward goes to Chair Crazy, for its good and quick service in the purchase of a table I was looking for to write at, white, square, and 750 mm high. I had looked at three other furniture sh0ps, and would have had to compromise on the size of the table, its color, and its availability. The table at Chair Crazy was the last one I saw, offered a choice of legs, I choosing the one with the most leg space, in black, was half the price to those I’d seen before, and was available immediately, quickly wrapped up in bubble wrap, and carried to my car a few blocks away. It is perfect in all respects! (more…)

The Sweet Service Award goes to Goodluck, a South African electro music band, which played at La Parada Constantia Nek last Sunday, to thousands of fans. As I dance to DJ René Tanguy at the venue every Sunday, this was a surprise change, and an initial disappointment, in that I did not know the band. The singer Jules was infectious, and the producer Ben played others’ tracks too, making it a very danceable hour. I won a CD give-away, such amazing good luck… I spoke to both Ben and Jules afterwards, very lovely natural and unaffected musicians. A thanks goes to La Parada too, for organising this event, at no charge to patrons. (more…)

The Sweet Service Award goes to CapeWine 2018, its organizer WOSA (Wines of South Africa), and the wine industry, for the smooth organisation and professionalism of the largest wine trade show in the Southern Hemisphere, and for putting the quality and diversity of our wine industry on show. The media registration on arrival was easy, we received a handy bag for all the brochures and booklets, and were offered a wine glass on arrival. My only gripe is that there was so little media information generally upfront, and that we were not sent any information specifically. (more…)

The Sweet Service Award goes to Blanc Canvas in Gardens Centre, and its framing specialist Lisa Janson. I dealt with Blanc Canvas recently for the first time when I had to have a picture reframed after the glass cracked during my move. It was done within a week, at a very reasonable cost. I asked Lisa if she could assist in removing a frame from a painting which I want to send to my son in the UK, and she kindly helped to remove it, without charge. She advised that I buy a tube to transport the painting. But I struggled to roll it and fit it into the tube, so I went back to Lisa for help. She had a wider tube and fitted the painting into it, sealing the open end to make sure that it is not damaged. Once again she did not charge for her service. At least I could leave my newly purchased tube for her to use in future. (more…)

The Sweet Service Award goes to Nu-Line Elevator Products, the company servicing the lift in the new apartment block in which I live. For the first time since living in the apartment I exited it via the lift, as I do every day, but without taking my car and apartment keys. To get to the basement garage, I press a lift button, but to get back to one’s apartment, one needs to insert the lift key.As soon as I got to the garage, I realized that I had left all my keys in my apartment, but wouldn’t be able to get back into it. I was on my way to see a movie at the Labia, and could see myself spending the night sleeping in my open car in the garage. I called Stuart Bailey who has my spare keys at his home, but he was on the Garden Route. Carel Liebenberg of Constantia Nek had a key to Stuart’s room, so he could find my keys, and very kindly offered to drive them to me.Henry, our Operations Manager, suggested calling Sea Point Locksmiths, to open my apartment side door, but it took them a while to return my call! But the surprise in this drama was Nu-Line, the lift company, which I had contacted on an emergency number, intended for persons stuck in a lift. Llewellyn, the lift technician, arrived ten minutes after my call to that number, and with the luck of the Parisian owner Magali above me being at home, the lift man was able to climb on top of the lift via her apartment, like they do in the Tom Cruise movies, and get it to stop on my floor, jump off, and unlock my side door! This sequence of events was more exciting than the movie itself.

The Sweet Service Award goes to Albourne Boutique House in Somerset West, and its Manager Glen, for his excellent service when I stayed over there recently. He was on duty until 23h00, allowed me to take a drink from their Bar, listened to my feedback about the disappointing meal at Giovanni’s in the Waterstone Centre, and was on duty at breakfast the next morning again. The winter rate is excellent value for money.